Discoveries
by Molly4
Summary: Chloe/Lex. Sequel to "Not Who I Thought YoU Were." Chapter 3 now availabe: As If Things Weren't Complicated Enough Already. What happens when Lionel Luthor pays a surprise visit to the mansion?
1. Default Chapter

A sequel to "Not Who I Thought You Were." More Chloe/Lex. Might become a multiple chapter story but since I've been so busy there might be a big time gap between chapters as it's been with my other WIP.   
  
Pairing: Chloe/Lex my personal fave...  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own the characters, though Lex is whispering sweet nothings in my ear right now.......*girlie giggle* I don't own the show, and I don't know what you did last summer.   
  
  
  
Discoveries  
By: Molly  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chloe walked slowly up to her front door. It had been a long day at school. Kwan had bitched about her latest article which, thank you very much, wasn't all about paranormal activity. The least the jerk could do was take notice that she'd actually had the strength to sit through a pep rally and write a nice little article about it without calling the cheerleaders "plastic Barbie doll wannabes." No, of course Kwan had only noted the tiny, almost unreadable article about a strange happening in the cornfield that had taken place recently. In addition to that she had a ten page history report on the Civil War, which she couldn't care less about, due tomorrow.   
  
Shoving open the door, Chloe quickly kicked off her shoes. Gabe Sullivan, her father appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Hello, sweetheart. How was school?" Gabe smiled at her cheerfully.  
  
"Hey, Dad. Not so good." Chloe grumbled.  
  
"I'm sorry." Gabe kissed her on the forehead. "Hopefully that made you feel better."  
  
Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her dad could be so corny sometimes, not to mention painfully embarrassing, but he really did love her. And, Chloe had learned from living with her dad, that when you loved somebody you had to humor them.  
  
"Much better," she told him forcing a perky little smile. She hugged her dad briefly. "Any coffee?"  
  
"On the counter, honey," Gabe replied. "I was thinking since it's my day off, maybe we could go out to dinner tonight." He followed his daughter into the kitchen.  
  
"Sure Dad," Chloe answered, grabbing the coffee pot. "The Torch office is closed. Teacher's meeting. So, where do you want to go?" 'Must. Have. Caffeine. Must. Have. Caffeine.' Chloe sipped her coffee, reveling in the warmth of it all.  
  
"Well, if you want to be fancy we can go to McDonald's," Gabe joked.  
  
"I don't think so. I'm not spending all my time trying to force you out of the ball pit again," Chloe replied, her eyes twinkling. "Besides, by Smallville standards, McDonald's is fancy."  
  
Gabe grinned. "Okay, then. How about that new Chinese buffet?"  
  
"Sure. I'd love to." Chloe smiled. She did like spending time with her dad, no matter how goofy he could act. "Mail's here," she announced, grabbing an orange out of a bowl on the table."  
  
"I'll get it," Gabe mumbled. "And quit drinking that coffee. It'll stunt your growth."  
  
"Not like I'm getting any taller anyhow," Chloe muttered.  
  
Gabe opened the front door and leaned over to grab the mail. Imagine when, to his surprise, among the bills and junk mail, was a rose, dripping with water.  
  
"Hmmm, I wonder what this could be," he said to himself with a grin. One peek at the card and his suspicions were confirmed. Written in loopy cursive writing on the envelope was 'Chloe.' Gabe snickered. Maybe that Kent kid had come to his senses and fallen in love with Chloe.  
  
"Anything for me, Dad?" Chloe called entering the room.  
  
"Why yes, it appears there is," Gabe replied with a devilish smile. Chloe stopped short seeing the rose. "Well, well, it appears you have a secret admirer. Why, I wonder who it could be?" Gabe pretended to be thinking hard.  
  
"Give me that," Chloe begged, reaching for it. She just had to get it away from him. She knew, just knew who had sent it. And if her dad found out about it, about all her secret desires, the lust, the chemistry between them, him a twenty-one year old rich bad boy, and her a fifteen year old spunky reporter, well, he'd blow his top. He was overprotective of her as it was anyway.  
  
"No, I think I'd like to see who's heart you've stolen this time, Princess," Gabe teased with a wink.  
  
"Dad, please." Chloe's heart was sinking to her shoes. There was no way her dad was going to just let her have the flower and forget it ever happened. It just wasn't in his nature.  
  
Gabe grabbed the card, and opened it, all the while enjoying himself as Chloe's face reddened. He cleared his throat, and began to read.  
  
"Dear Chloe,   
I'm sorry our meeting last week didn't turn out quite as we'd both have liked it to, but I'd like to make it up to you. There's a benefit in Metropolis for a children's hospital tomorrow night. I'd be honored if you'd be my escort for the evening...."  
  
Gabe paused. "Hmmm, very elegant, wouldn't you say? Let's just see who signed it. L.L.?" Gabe frowned. "L.L." he repeated. He took a closer look at the handwriting, which seemed so familiar. Like the handwriting that had signed all the important documents before he'd sent them to Metropolis to be looked over by Lionel Luthor. Something in Gabe's mind clicked suddenly. His heart almost stopped beating.  
  
"Lex Luthor?!"  
  
  
TBC fairly soon. Just a short chapter to start things up. 


	2. Magic

Standard disclaimers apply. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming!  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Chloe's heart almost stopped beating. This could not be happening. Her father had not just uncovered the secret that she had tried desperately to keep a secret, from him and from the rest of Smallville. Maybe thing would seem a little better if her father would blink...once....twice.....or at all.  
  
Gabe Sullivan rarely got mad. He was a good natured guy, easy going, he really didn't like to raise his voice. With one tiny exception. Anything involving his daughter, his princess, his baby girl, and anything he didn't approve of, and he blew his top. Totally. Completely. Blew. His. Top.  
  
"What the hell?! You are not dating Lex Luthor! There is just no way I can allow it." Gabe paced the room, ranting and raving.  
  
"Dad.....Daddy," Chloe turned on her little girl voice. It worked best when her dad got like this. "Lex, um, Lex and I, we aren't dating." Okay, maybe not technically, but almost, and if Lex was having the same thoughts that she was having......well, soon enough......  
  
Gabe continued yelling, ignoring his daughter. "....not to mention he's my boss! Dear Lord, while all the other men at work can brag about their daughter's good grades, or cheerleading competitions I can blow them out of the water by telling them my fifteen year old daughter is dating my boss!"  
  
"Dad....Dad...." Chloe sighed. She sucked in a deep breath. "DAD!"  
  
Gabe finally stopped. "What?" He snapped.  
  
Chloe chose her next words very carefully. "Look, Daddy, Lex and I are just friends. We're not dating." 'Nice touch throwing in that Daddy thing,' her inner voice praised her.  
  
"Sweetheart, just read the letter." Gabe decided to bring his voice down to a normal tone. If he continued yelling like that Chloe would probably just want Lex more. "He wants you to be his escort? And your meeting last week? What meeting? Why didn't you tell me?" Gabe looked at her, slightly hurt.  
  
"People can take friends as their escorts, and last week, last week was nothing." Chloe scrambled to come up with a good excuse. "The Torch! Yeah, see the computers Lex bought for the office weren't working well and, um, he came to check out the problem, but the problem just got worse." 'One of your worse lies.' It seemed that her inner voice was now turning on her.  
  
Gabe shook his head. He put his hand gently to Chloe's cheek. "Look, honey, you know you can never lie to me. I used to change your diapers."  
  
'I don't see what that has to do with anything,' Chloe thought rolling her eyes.  
  
"I know what you may think about Lex. He's rich, he's got a fast car, and you may think he loves you. But.....he's a man. And a lot of men, well, they only have one thing on the mind."  
  
Both father and daughter blushed. Gabe, remembering the hideously embarrassing "birds and the bees" talk he'd stumbled through with her, and Chloe, knowing her dad was thinking about that talk.  
  
"And Chloe.....you know it's not really....legal."  
  
"Dad, nothing about my friendship with Lex is illegal. We're friends. That's it. Nothing more. Now can I go to the benefit tomorrow?" Chloe paused, seeing 'No way in hell,' written all over her father's face. "Look, I promise you, I'll be careful...." still the same look. "You can even come too. You can meet Lex, get to know him."  
  
"I don't like this Chloe. You're only fifteen, and Lex Luthor is my boss. You know about his past." Gabe sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Why couldn't you date Pete? Or Clark? Or anybody but my boss? This is insane! This is completely insane! No! You can't go! I will not allow my baby girl to go out with a man who can buy booze! Nononononono."  
  
"Dad, please, you don't want to have a heart attack here," Chloe tried to keep her voice calm. Gabe stopped. "Look, I'm a very responsible woman." Gabe raised an eyebrow. "Young woman," she corrected herself without missing a beat.  
  
"But you're still my little girl," Gabe interjected, in an almost whiny way.   
  
"Ah, ah, ah, wait until I'm done." Chloe held up a hand. "I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I've never been arrested, I get all my homework in on time, I've made the honor roll since the fourth grade, and we've already had a talk and I've stated clearly that there's no way in hell I'm having premarital sex." Chloe took another deep breath. "Now I think you should give me a chance here, and just trust me. Lex and I are only friends, nothing more. I promise."  
  
Gabe sighed. There was no way out of this. If he forbid her to see him, that would make him all the more attractive to her. There was only one thing he could do.  
  
"Fine, you can go." Before Chloe could thank him, he stopped her. "On a few conditions." Chloe nodded. "One, I'm coming also. Two, you swear you're not dating him and you never will be. Three, if you two try and sneak away somewhere, so help me God I will break his neck and I don't care how many of your friends are watching! Four, all your outfits must be pre-approved by me. And no whining about it." Gabe sighed. What was he doing? He just had to pray that Chloe realized how wrong Lex was for her.  
  
Chloe nodded, all the while a little pissed. A pre-approved outfit from her dad meant basically, she had to show up in a suit of armor, or dress like a bee keeper. But what could she do, really?   
  
"Okay," she finally responded. "I promise you Dad, you can trust me. You won't regret this."  
  
"Whatever," Gabe mumbled. "But if you two get married I better be getting a raise," he added dryly. He did not like it. Not one bit.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lex Luthor scanned the crowd, looking for Chloe. He had bumped into her a few time but hadn't really had the chance to talk to her. Gabe was glued to her side, shooting him dirty glares whenever they came near him. So technically, Chloe wasn't quite his escort.  
  
So Lex did what he was expected to do. He mixed. He mingled. Laughed at stupid jokes he'd heard before. Sipped a martini. Made business plans. But all he truly wanted was to see her.  
  
Lex regretted sending the rose. He should've taken Gabe into account. Obviously no single father wanted his only daughter being hit on by his boss.   
Across the room, he finally spotted her, talking with her dad at the punch bowl. She was dressed rather modestly, in a dress that reached the floor and her jacket buttoned up all the way.  
  
Yet still, she looked gorgeous, even is she did appear to be arguing with her father. He watched, amused as she stalked off, and Gabe looked frustrated, running a hand through his hair angrily.  
  
Lex feigned a laugh as one of the most annoying people he'd ever met wrapped up a supposedly funny story. He shoved his martini glass in the annoying guy's hand.  
  
"I gotta go," he mumbled in their direction, moving swiftly, dodging some couples who were dancing, weaving his way in and out, needing to find her.....  
  
And there she appeared. Looking shy and vulnerable, a change from her usual high on coffee, don't-mess-with-me-I'm-got-PMS attitude that he loved so much. Chloe stood there, showing Lex the other side she'd always kept hidden from the world, the scared little girl.   
  
Chloe swallowed, looking Lex up and down. Nothing extraordinary about his clothes. Blue silk shirt, probably soft as a baby's ass, black dress pants, black jacket, silk tie, a slightly darker color than the shirt. It wasn't the clothes that made her feel weak at the knees. It was those eyes, that burned with fire, and the intensity of his gaze that made her legs wobble like they were made of Jell-O. There was something about his eyes that drew her to him. That capture her, wrapped her up, and made her want more. No matter how much she saw him, she always wanted, no, needed more of him. She needed him to look at her like that all the time. All the time.  
  
"Shall we dance?" Lex asked, pulling her close to his body.  
  
"I'd love to," she breathed. The feeling between them....it was electric. The sparks flew as he twirled her, spun her around, and stopped short of kissing her. There was only one way to describe it.  
  
Magic.  
  
  
  
TBC 


	3. As if Things weren't Complicated Enough ...

Standard disclaimers apply. The song is Acoustic #3 by the Goo Goo Dolls.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Lex and Chloe approached the bar, breathing heavily. It seemed like they'd been dancing for hours, though it'd really only been about three songs. They'd gotten so caught up in their own little LexChloe World that they hadn't even noticed that they'd gained the attention and admiration of almost everyone in the room. Lex smirked. Maybe dating that salsa instructor really had paid off.   
  
"I'll have an apple martini," Lex told the bartender, "and a root beer for the young lady." He smiled as Chloe glared at him.  
  
"You call me 'young lady' again and I'll kill you, Rich Boy." Chloe smiled anyway and accepted the root beer the bartender handed her. She snorted. "Besides, I like cream soda."  
  
Lex just grinned. He caught Gabe Sullivan glaring daggers at him from across the room. Some dads just couldn't let go of their little girls. Lex didn't worry. He planned to treat Chloe like a lady.   
  
"You wanna get out of here?" Lex asked suddenly.  
  
Chloe arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"  
  
Lex snickered. "Not like that....really. It's just it's hot in here, and crowded..."  
  
"Wouldn't you look a little funny just walking out in the middle of the benefit?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms.  
  
"Does that mean no?"  
  
"Now, I never said that, did I?"  
  
"No, I guess not. So is that a yes?"  
  
"Well....okay." Chloe almost giggled but caught herself. Now was not the time to remind Lex that was only a teenager. She had to remain calm. Cool. She grabbed a napkin and a pen and scrawled a quick note. She handed it to the bartender. "Deliver this to that guy over there, okay?" She asked, pointing to her father.  
  
Lex slid a twenty dollar bill into the bartender's hand.   
  
"Sure thing," he replied, smiling and pocketing the money.  
  
"You didn't have to give him money," Chloe told Lex as they slipped out the back door.  
  
"You can't get everything with your good looks and charm," Lex replied, leading her to his newest car, a Ferrari. He smiled flirtatiously. "How about we go for a ride with the top down?"  
  
Chloe couldn't hold back the tiniest of giggles. "I've always wanted to ride in one of these things."  
  
  
"Well let's go then." Lex, always the gentleman, opened up the passenger seat of his car and gave a low bow. "After you madam."  
  
Chloe snickered. "I guess it's better than young lady," she quipped.  
  
Lex revved the engine. Chloe grinned and settled down. "You can pick a CD if you want," Lex suggested, gesturing to a large CD pouch.  
  
"Okay," Chloe agreed. "Oh, you have Dizzy Up the Girl. That's awesome." Chloe slid in the CD and the music hit their ears as Lex pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
Lex drove more carefully than he usually did, seeing as he had a passenger, a particularly beautiful one at that.  
  
"You don't have to baby me," Chloe yelled over the music. "I'm not your grandmother." She grinned wickedly. "Let's see what this baby can do!"  
  
"You asked for it," Lex whispered, and slammed down on the accelerator.   
  
They sped down the road and Chloe let out a whoop. This had to be the most fun she'd ever had. Now she knew how Bo Duke felt. She wondered if she could convince Lex to jump a creek. Her hair whipped at her face and Chloe just laughed.   
  
Lex smiled. Cars like this did a lot for a person's attitude. Taking one hand off the wheel, he gently ran a hand through Chloe's hair. Chloe blushed a little, but smiled, and put her hand on his knee. Lex felt his heart churn. No girl....no woman had ever made him feel what he was feeling now. On top of the world.  
  
Chloe turned up the CD and skipped it to her favorite song. She turned up the volume and leaned over to whisper in Lex's ear. "For some reason this song reminds me of you."  
  
Lex arched an eyebrow. He could almost see Chloe sitting in the Torch office with the song playing. She'd be typing on her beloved computer, her fingers flying, inspiration at it's peak. And she'd stop. Chloe would bite her lip and spin around a bit on her chair and remember that night in the Torch office when they'd almost kissed.....their lips just inches away from paradise.....  
  
  
'They painted up your secrets  
With the lies they told to you  
And the most least they ever gave you  
Was the most you ever knew.  
  
And I wonder where these dreams go  
When the world got in your way  
What's the point in all this screaming  
No one's listening anyway.'  
  
Your voice is small and fading  
And you hide in here unknown  
And your mother loves your father  
Cause she's got nowhere to go  
  
And she wonders where these dreams go  
Cause the world got in her way  
What's the point ever trying  
Nothing's changing anyway.  
  
They press their lips against you  
And you love the lies they say  
And I tried so hard to reach you  
But you're falling anyway.  
  
And you know I see right through you  
When the world gets in your way  
What's the point in all this screaming  
You're not listening anyway.'  
  
  
  
Chloe leaned over impulsively. "I'll never lie to you," she whispered into Lex's ear.  
  
Lex smiled weakly. His heart was pounding in his chest. He'd just realized something.  
  
He, Lex Luthor, was in love with Torch reporter and all around spunky teen, Chloe Sullivan.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They slipped into the mansion quietly. Lex led Chloe to his own pride and joy, his movie collection. He had to laugh as Chloe's eyes went big seeing his stunning array of movies.  
  
"Wow," she breathed. "You must have every movie ever made."  
  
"It is quite an impressive collection isn't it?" Lex smiled and helped Chloe take off her coat. "Pick one, any one. We'll watch it. Just two friends, watching a movie." And one wishing for something more, Lex added in his head.  
  
Chloe smiled. Two friends. Of course, friends. Not boyfriend/girlfriend. Not the giggly "Dawson's Creek" romance. No walks on the beach with their hands just brushing each other's. They were just friends. Nothing more. But God, that was all Chloe wanted. More.  
  
Well at least now she didn't have to pick some sappy romance film to set the mood. Chloe sighed. She wouldn't have minded watching a chick flick if it meant she could finally get a little further with Lex Luthor.  
  
"Any trouble picking one?" Lex asked, coming up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. Chloe shivered. God, the things he did to her!  
  
"Um...well, how about, uh, how about this one?" Chloe asked, picking up the first movie that touched her fingertips. Lex could even make her stutter. Would wonders never cease?  
  
"Pump up the Volume,' huh?" Lex asked. "You a Christian Slater fan?" Chloe could only nod dumbly.   
  
Chloe stood there awkwardly while Lex inserted the video and flopped down on the couch. She wasn't sure where to sit. She really wanted to sit on the couch...with Lex, but she was a little hesitant. Maybe she had misread everything and Lex really did want to be just friends.  
  
Lex shifted a little bit on the couch and patted a spot right in front of him. Chloe tried to hide an eager grin. "You going to stand there all night?" Lex asked amused.  
  
Chloe sat down on the couch and Lex's arms wrapped around her waist. It felt good. Natural. This was where she wanted to spend her entire life. Her head fit perfectly between Lex's neck and shoulder.  
  
"You cold?" Lex whispered, his breath tickling Chloe's neck. She liked that. She liked being able to feel him breathing, feel the gentle up and down motion of his stomach.  
  
"I'm perfect," she whispered back. "But I could use some popcorn."  
  
A few minutes later one of the butlers arrived with a fresh batch of popcorn. Chloe took a handful and shoved it in her mouth.   
  
"Hey, young lady, how about some popcorn?" Lex asked teasingly.  
  
Chloe just smiled. She took a handful of popcorn and put it up to Lex's mouth. Lex ate it right out of her hand. When all the popcorn was gone, he grabbed her hand and kissed it. Chloe laughed. She wasn't going to dignify it with a giggle.  
  
"Don't call me young lady again," she reminded him.  
  
"And why not?" Lex challenged.  
  
"Because...because I'll tickle you." Chloe turned over and began to tickle him. Lex started to laugh as they tumbled off the couch and onto the floor. Lex tickled her right back. Chloe maneuvered so she was on top of Lex and had the tickling advantage.  
  
"Beg for mercy," she told him triumphantly. Chloe stopped suddenly. Her face was centimeters away from Lex's. She put a hand on his cheek, bent down and kissed him. It was a rich, full kiss. Her tongue slid into his mouth and explored every single crevice of his mouth. He groaned in delight.  
  
Forget minty. Forget Clark. This was Lex. And he tasted like chocolate. Rich, delicious, chocolate. She was finally getting what she wanted. More, much more.  
  
Lex groaned again. This was everything he'd wanted ever since the day he'd met Chloe at the Torch office. It'd been love at first sight, the cliche that it was. Even more cliche, she was the girl of his dreams. And now he had her, had her tongue in his mouth, had her body right up against his. There was so much heat between them! Lex had never felt this way before, never enjoyed a kiss this much. Damn. He was letting his hormones control him again, like he was some puberty suffering teenager. He didn't want Chloe to see and he didn't want to break off the kiss either. So he didn't.  
  
The door burst open. "Lex..." Lionel Luthor stopped. Chloe and Lex pulled apart, panting for air, and both hideously embarrassed, Lex more when Chloe took one look at the suspicious bulge in his pants and blushed. She averted her eyes from his pants and instead focused on the floor.   
  
"Dad," Lex greeted Lionel through clenched teeth.  
  
Lionel looked Lex over up and down, his face full of disapproval. A deep frown settled on his face.  
  
"Um, I better go," Chloe mumbled. She darted out the door, her face bright red.  
  
"I think we'd better talk, Alexander."  
  
TBC 


	4. Choices

Well, what do you know? Chapter 4!   
  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Lionel strode around the room, his eyes narrowing, looking at Lex with contempt.  
  
"What was that?" Lionel finally asked, pointing to the door. "Wasn't that Gabe Sullivan's daughter? Cleo?"  
  
"Chloe," Lex shot back, his breath coming out in angry gasps.  
  
"Whatever. I recognized her from some of the various Luthor Corp., functions." Lionel didn't beat around the bush very long. "She's fifteen, Alexander. Forget about her."  
  
Lex sucked in a deep breath. He wasn't going to let his father get away with this. No way. Not when it came to Chloe. Not when he could still feel her lips on his, her tongue exploring the depths of his mouth. The taste of her lip gloss....strawberry. God, it was heaven. Just hearing the name Chloe made his heart soar. He'd never felt this way about someone before. But then, there was nobody he'd ever known like Chloe. Nobody with her spark. He was in love with the fiery high school freshman and nothing was going to get in his way. Not even his father, but Lionel would most certainly prove to be a difficult hurdle. His father was a man who could stand nothing but his own way.  
  
"I won't," Lex finally choked out. "And don't you ever call me Alexander." That was a name only his mother was.....had been, allowed to use.  
  
"You will, Alexander," Lionel replied, stressing the end of the name. "You will. I have hid things from the press before about you. Club Zero. The drunk driving that left Tiffany Powers, age 17, dead on her birthday...."  
  
"Shut up," Lex hissed. He had not expected this. Not even from his father, the most malicious man he's ever known. He'd never expected his father to bring up all his past mistakes when he was just a fucked up little rich kid who only wanted to defy everything that his father had taught him growing up. God, he was sorry for Tiffany. He was sorry every day of his damn life. Her ghost haunted him. Now Lionel was making it even worse.  
  
Lionel went right along. "The late nights at those strip clubs you used to fancy." Now he was really getting into it, waving his hands around wildly. "The drunken bar fights, the hookers, the parties until five in the morning....I pulled every string possible to bury those under the rug. But this I will not bury." Lionel shook his head. "If you choose to maintain your relationship with Ms. Sullivan, then I will sell the story to every newspaper in the country faster than you can say 'jailbait.'" Lionel smirked. He could see this was having an effect on his son.  
  
Lex sneered at his father. He knew his father would never sell him out. It'd be bad PR for Luthor Corp., and his own self. One thing about Lionel Luthor, he never but his own fat in the fire. Still Lex had to be careful. Lionel could easily twist things on him and carry out his threats. His father was as unexpected and spontaneous as he himself was, only maybe even a little more. Everything Lex knew about manipulation has come from his father, but Lionel certainly hadn't taught him everything he knew. Lex would just have to play it safe.  
  
The silence stretched on before Lionel added, "I will not stop you from jail. Do you know what the penalty is for statutory rape? I very much doubt Gabe would protect you from them." Lionel shook his head, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I know all about how Gabe feels about his "baby girl." God knows I've had to see every damn picture he carries around in his wallet of her."  
  
Lex swallowed. "I do not plan on taking my relationship with Chloe any farther than it is right now. We're both adults. We can wait. And you," Lex paused, looking at his own flesh and blood disgustedly. "You can do nothing about it."  
  
Lionel smirked, as if he were the All-Powerful, All-Knowing, God of Everything. "I know you Alexander," he responded coolly. "I know you can never keep your snake in the cage for that long." He looked Lex up and down. His pants sure had been bulging for a guy who supposedly had his hormones in check, but Lionel didn't mention this. "Do what you want," he boomed instead. "But I will no longer protect you."  
  
"Get out," Lex hissed.  
  
Lionel left without another word, leaving Lex to his thoughts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chloe burst through the front door, gasping for breath. She's sprinted home from the Luthor mansion, not stopping for breath once. God, how utterly humiliating! She couldn't bear to look behind her for fear that she'd see Lionel charging at her with a spear.  
  
Gabe stood right in front of her, looking majorly ticked off. He was beyond rational reasoning. Which meant Chloe could do only one thing: Lie.  
  
"Where have you been?" Gabe demanded, taking Chloe into his arms. Being a parent meant sometimes wanting to hug and slug your kid at the same time. This was one of those times. "Are you okay? You're out of breath."  
  
"I'm...fine," Chloe managed. She hoped her hair and make-up weren't too messed up. Gabe might put two and two together and then...BOOM!  
  
"Where were you?" Gabe led her to the couch. Angry Dad was performing now. He held up the napkin Chloe had written on. "What is this? 'Dad...I've gotta go. Lex will drive me home. Don't wait up. Love you, Chloe. What is that?"  
  
"I wasn't feeling well," Chloe lied, putting on her best fake sick act. This was the act that had helped her stay home from school on numerous occasions. "Lex was taking me to see his private doctor." Chloe winced. Any one of the guys in her Sex Ed class would have a laugh over her choice of words. "I was um, throwing up and stuff."  
  
"No wonder," Gabe mumbled. "Your hair's all messed up, and you look so pale." Gabe kissed her gently on the cheek. "How are you feeling now? Do you want me to make you some soup?" Chloe nodded. "Okay. You go change into some sweats and come right back down. We'll watch a movie or two, okay sweetie?" Chloe nodded again. "I can take care of you, just like when you were little. You used to love it when I'd stay home from work with you." A nostalgic smile crept over Gabe's lips.  
  
Chloe smiled a little bit though part of her wanted to remind him that she was not a little girl any more, while another part felt guilty for lying to him. Chloe had never been a terrific liar or anything, but her lies always got past her father. Not because he was gullible, but really, because he trusted her. He trusted her not to lie to him. Chloe shook her head and went up stairs to change. She couldn't have a conscious now.  
  
Fully changed into gray sweatpants and an over-sized NYPD sweatshirt that her uncle on the force had given to her. Chloe's heart almost broke when she settled down on the couch. Her father had gone all out. Chicken noodle soup, her favorite. And he'd even brought down the old quilt her grandmother had made for her when she was in the second grade. She felt even guiltier about lying to him.  
  
Gabe had pulled out Chloe's favorite movies, just for her. "The Pelican Brief," "Conspiracy Theory," and "Sleepless in Seattle," though nobody but Gabe knew about the last one. Chloe would just *die* if anybody she knew found out she enjoyed Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan sap. And she'd simply spontaneously combust if her father told anyone that she always cried at the end. But her father, while a prankster, was never that bad.  
  
Gabe sat down on the couch and Chloe buried her head in his chest, going back to the days when she'd been six years old and this had been the highlight of her day. Cuddling with Daddy and watching old movies. It hadn't lost it's spark yet. Gabe covered them both with the quilt and flicked on the first movie. He kissed the top of Chloe's head gently, his arm around her securly.  
  
"How you doing, sweetheart?" Gabe asked halfway through the first preview.  
  
"Just fine," Chloe replied. For the second time that night she was cuddling on the couch with a man that she loved. She just didn't want to choose between being Daddy's Girl and Lex's girlfriend.  
  
Chloe just hoped it never came to that.  
  
TBC 


End file.
